The Complicated History of JAWS at Universal Studios Florida

JAWS 2.0

At the dock, guests boarded tour boats with tiered rows, seating up to 48 passengers. The new diesel-powered boats appeared sturdier than the original pontoon boats, now with automated movements. The live onboard skipper had no actual control over the boat (other than E-stops)—only pretending to steer and pilot. Skippers were now much more involved in the story.

The reimagined JAWS ride, though heavily re-engineered, had a very similar format to the original. It was still in a massive 7-acre lagoon, holding 5 million gallons of water. The lagoon still had a central island with lifelike New England building facades to sell the small seaside town atmosphere. The widespread and believable environment made the attraction feel secluded from the world.

The ride was a tour around the “real” Amity Island to visit the locations of the infamous shark attacks of 1974 that inspired the 1975 film.

A voice over the radio from Amity Base, voiced by the ride’s show director, gave the boat the all-clear. “Uh, this is Base. You are cleared for departure, Amity 6.” The ride started with a cue from its soundtrack, composed by David Knuepper and based on John Williams’ melodies, as the skipper and riders waved goodbye to all the land-lovers waiting on the dock.

In the new version of the ride, the skipper introduced the tour and pointed out Chief Brody’s home across the lagoon. The first few scenes of the reimagined ride were fairly similar to the previous version, except without Quint’s heated discussion.

A distress call from another tour boat played over the radio, and the tour continued around the lighthouse only to discover a sinking boat. A fin popped up by the wreckage, went under the boat, and resurfaced on the starboard side. The tension was rising on the open water with a 25-foot shark stalking the boat. After a call from Base, the skipper grabbed the grenade launcher—which was definitely not over-the-top at all—and shot at the shark twice before going to hide in a nearby boathouse, where the Orca was docked.

Once in the dark, cool boathouse, the skipper shut off the engine; the off-putting silence gave the foggy scene an eerie feel, with ambient dripping sound effects and an ominous glow from the water. It was a cinematic moment.

The skittish skipper swiveled the boat’s light around at each bump and bang heard in the claustrophobic boathouse. This scene had improved effects with boats and cargo knocking around as the shark was trying to barge its way inside. Jaws crashed in and charged at the boat—probably the most tense moment of the ride. The skipper finally got the boat to restart and rushed out of the boathouse.

The next scenes were completely different from the original version—no more shark attack or “meat machine.”

Back on the open water, the shark was nowhere to be found. Chief Brody called in saying he’d be there in 10 minutes; the skipper reacted with one of the most iconic lines from the ride: “Ten minutes? We’ll be shark bait in 10 minutes!”

The shark charged at the boat. The skipper tried shooting it but missed, causing the gas dock on the shore to explore. Large equipment fell over, a barrel rocketed into the sky, and the lagoon went up in flames. There was no way out.

This scene was hot. Some guests complained this scene burned their skin, but it could’ve just been discomfort from sunburns combined with the heat. In development, the creators cranked up the flame effect until it was painful and dialed it just below that extreme level.

The skipper carried on, escaping through the fire that dissipated just in time for the boat to pass.

This was the home stretch. The skipper headed toward a dock where everyone could evacuate. However, Jaws was still on the hunt. Its fin surfaced and rushed toward the boat, disappearing into the wake. Just as the boat stopped near a high-voltage barge, the shark attacked once more, accidentally swimming into an electrical cable with its mouth. Sparks and steam shot up, and the shark went under. It floated back to the surface, completely fried from the voltage, just like the electric ending of Jaws 2.

The shark was dead, giving off a burnt smell. Everyone onboard made it out alive, and the skipper triumphantly screamed, “Call off the Marines; we are coming home!”